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Calendar Year 2003 Results

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)

2003 BRFSS Topics: Nationwide

BRFSS 2003 Annual Results Technical Notes

Health Status

• Would you say that in general your health is:
• Now thinking about your physical health, which includes physical illness and injury, for how many days during the past 30 days was your physical health not good?
• Now thinking about your mental health, which includes stress, depression, and problems with emotions, for how many days during the past 30 days was your mental health not good?
• During the past 30 days, for about how many days did poor physical or mental health keep you from doing your usual activities, such as self-care, work, or recreation?

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Health Care Access

• Do you have any kind of health care coverage, including health insurance, prepaid plans such as HMOs, or government plans such as Medicare?
• Health Insurance Coverage -Age Under 65
• Health Insurance Coverage for Those Employed for Wages (Age under 65)
• Do you have one person you think of as your personal doctor or health care provider?
• Was there a time during the last 12 months when you needed to see a doctor, but could not because of the cost?

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Exercise

• During the past month, did you participate in any physical activities or exercises such as running, calisthenics, golf, gardening, or walking for exercise?

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Diabetes

• Have you ever been told by a doctor that you have diabetes?
• How old were you when you were told you have diabetes?
• Are you now taking insulin?
• Are you now taking diabetes pills?
• About how often do you check your blood for glucose or sugar? Include times when checked by a family member or friend, but do not include times when checked by a health professional.
• About how often do you check your feet for any sores or irritations? Include times when checked by a family member or friend, but do not include times when checked by a health professional.
• Have you ever had any sores or irritations on your feet that took more than four weeks to heal?
• About how many times in the last year have you seen a doctor, nurse, or other health professional for your diabetes?
• A test for hemoglobin 'A one C' measures the average level of blood sugar over the past three months. About how many times in the past 12 months has a doctor, nurse, or other health professional checked you for hemoglobin 'A one C'?
• About how many times in the last year has a health professional checked your feet for any sores or irritations?
• When was the last time you had an eye exam in which the pupils were dilated? This would have made you temporarily sensitive to bright light.
• Has a doctor ever told you that diabetes has affected your eyes or that you had retinopathy?
• Have you ever taken a course or class in how to manage your diabetes yourself?

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Hypertension Awareness

• Have you ever been told by a doctor, nurse, or other health professional that you have high blood pressure?
• Are you currently taking medicine for your high blood pressure?

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Cholesterol Awareness

• Blood cholesterol is a fatty substance found in the blood. Have you ever had your blood cholesterol checked?
• About how long has it been since you last had your blood cholesterol checked?
• Cholesterol check within last five years?
• Have you ever been told by a doctor, nurse or other health professional that your blood cholesterol is high?

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Fruits and Vegetables

• How often do you drink fruit juices such as orange, grapefruit, or tomato?
• Not counting juice, how often do you eat fruit?
• How Often Do You Eat Green Salad?
• How often do you eat potatoes not including French fries, fried potatoes, or potato chips?
• How Often Do You Eat Carrots?
• Not counting carrots, potatoes, or salad, how many servings of vegetables do you usually eat?
• Fruit and Vegetable Consumption per day
• Fruit (including fruit juice) Consumption per day
• Vegetable (including potato) Consumption per day

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Weight Control

• Are you now trying to lose weight?
• Are you now trying to maintain your current weight, that is to keep from gaining weight?
• Managing current weight: lose, maintain or do neither?
• Are you eating either fewer calories or less fat to lose weight or keep from gaining weight?
• Are you using physical activity or exercise to lose weight or keep from gaining weight?
• In the past 12 months, has a doctor, nurse, or other health professional given you advice about your weight?
• Body Mass Index Grouping-Underweight, Recommended Range, Overweight and Obese

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Asthma

• Did a doctor ever tell you that you had asthma?
• Do you still have asthma?

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Immunization

• During the past 12 months, have you had a flu shot?
• At what kind of place did you get your last flu shot?
• Have you ever had a pneumonia shot? This shot is usually given only once or twice in a person's lifetime and is different from the flu shot. It is also called the pneumococcal vaccine.

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Tobacco Use

• Have you smoked at least 100 cigarettes in your entire life?
• Do you now smoke cigarettes everyday, some days, or not at all?
• During the past 12 months, have you stopped smoking for one day or longer because you were trying to quit smoking?
• Smoking Status
• Current Smoker

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Alcohol Consumption

• A drink of alcohol is 1 can or bottle of beer, 1 glass of wine, 1 can or bottle of wine cooler, 1 cocktail, or 1 shot of liquor.
  During the past 30 days, how many days per week or per month did you have at least one drink of any alcoholic beverage?
• On the days when you drank, about how many drinks did you drink on the average?
• Considering all types of alcoholic beverages, how many times during the past 30 days did you have 5 or more drinks on an occasion?
• Drinking alcohol in the past 30 days
• Binge Drinking
• Heavy Drinking

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Excess Sun Exposure

• The next question is about sunburns, including any time that even a small part of your skin was red for more than 12 hours.Have you had a sunburn within the past 12 months?
• Including times when even a small part of your skin was red for more than 12 hours, how many sunburns have you had within the past 12 months?

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Arthritis

• During the past 30 days, have you had any symptoms of pain, aching, or stiffness in or around a joint?
• Did your joint symptoms first begin more than 3 months ago?
• Have you ever seen a doctor or other health professional for these joint symptoms?
• Have you ever been told by a doctor or other health professional that you have some form of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus, or fibromyalgia (See Questionnaire for Complete List)?
• Are you now limited in any way in any of your usual activities because of arthritis or joint symptoms?
• In this next question we are referring to work for pay. Do arthritis or joint symptoms now affect whether you work, the type of work you do or the amount of work you do?

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Falls

• The next question asks about a recent fall. By a fall, we mean when a person unintentionally comes to rest on the ground or another lower level.
  In the past 3 months, have you had a fall?
• Were you injured?

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Disability

• Are you limited in any way in any activities because of physical, mental, or emotional problems?
• Do you now have any health problem that requires you to use special equipment, such as a cane, a wheelchair, a special bed, or a special telephone?

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Physical Activity

• When you are at work, which of the following best describes what you do? Would you say:
• Now, thinking about the moderate physical activities you do when you are not working (if employed or self-employed) in a usual week, do you do moderate activities for at least 10 minutes at a time, such as brisk walking, bicycling, vacuuming, gardening, or anything else that causes small increases in breathing or heart rate?
• How many days per week do you do these moderate activities for at least 10 minutes at a time?
• On days when you do moderate activities for at least 10 minutes at a time, how much total time per day do you spend doing these activities?
• Now thinking about the vigorous physical activities you do (when you are not working, if employed or self-employed) in a usual week, do you do vigorous activities for at least 10 minutes at a time, such as running, aerobics, heavy yard work, or anything else that causes large increases in breathing or heart rate?
• How many days per week do you do these vigorous activities for at least 10 minutes at a time?
• On days when you do vigorous activities for at least 10 minutes at a time, how much total time per day do you spend doing these activities?
• Moderate Physical Activity
• Vigorous Physical Activity
• Leisure Time Physical Activity
• Physical Activity Recommendation Status

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HIV/AIDS

• I'm going to read two statements about HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. After I read each one, please tell me whether you think it is true or false, or if you don't know.
  1. A pregnant woman with HIV can get treatment to help reduce the chances that she will pass the virus on to her baby
  2. There are medical treatments available that are intended to help a person who is infected with HIV to live longer.
• How important do you think it is for people to know their HIV status by getting tested? Would you say:
• As far as you know, have you ever been tested for HIV? Do not count tests you may have had as part of a blood donation.
• Where did you have the HIV test?
• Not including blood donations, which of these would you say was the main reason for your last HIV test?
• Have you used intravenous drugs in the past year, been treated for a sexually transmitted or venereal disease in the past year, or given or received money or drugs in exchange for sex in the past year?
• In the past 12 months has a doctor, nurse, or other health professional talked to you about preventing sexually transmitted diseases through condom use?

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Heart Attack or Stroke

• Which of the following do you think is a symptom of a heart attack. For each, tell me yes, no, or you're not sure.
  1. Do you think pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck, or back are symptoms of a heart attack?
  2. Do you think feeling weak, lightheaded, or faint are symptoms of a heart attack?
  3. Do you think chest pain or discomfort are symptoms of a heart attack?
  4. Do you think sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes is a symptom of a heart attack?
  5. Do you think pain or discomfort in the arms or shoulder are symptoms of a heart attack?
  6. Do you think shortness of breath is a symptom of a heart attack?
• Which of the following do you think is a symptom of a stroke. For each, tell me yes, no, or you're not sure
  1. Do you think sudden confusion or trouble speaking are symptoms of a stroke?
  2. Do you think sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm, or leg, especially on one side, are symptoms of a stroke?
  3. Do you think sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes is a symptom of a stroke?
  4. Do you think sudden chest pain or discomfort are symptoms of a stroke?
  5. Do you think sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance are symptoms of a stroke?
  6. Do you think severe headache with no known cause is a symptom of a stroke?
• If you thought someone was having a heart attack or a stroke, what is the first thing you would do?
• Knew all heart attack symptoms
• Knew all stroke symptoms

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Cardiovascular Disease

• To lower your risk of developing heart disease or stroke, are you....
  1. Eating fewer high fat or high cholesterol foods?
  2. Eating more fruits and vegetables?
  3. More physically active?
• Within the past 12 months, has a doctor, nurse, or other health professional told you to...
  1. Eating more fruits and vegetables?
  2. Be more physically active?
• Has a doctor, nurse, or other health professional ever told you that you had any of the following?
  1. A heart attack, also called a myocardial infarction
  2. Angina or coronary heart disease
  3. A stroke
• History of Any Cardiovascular Diseases (heart attack or coronary heart disease or stroke)
• At what age did you have your first heart attack?
• At what age did you have your first stroke?
• After you left the hospital following your heart attack or stroke, did you go to any kind of outpatient rehabilitation? This is sometimes called "rehab".
• Do you take aspirin daily or every other day?
• Do you have a health problem or condition that makes taking aspirin unsafe for you?
• Why do you take aspirin...
  • To relieve pain?
  • To reduce the chance of a heart attack?
  • To reduce the chance of a stroke?

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Tobacco Indicators

• How old were you the first time you smoked a cigarette, even one or two puffs?
• How old were you when you first started smoking cigarettes regularly?
• About how long has it been since you last smoked cigarettes regularly?
• In the past 12 months, have you seen a doctor, nurse, or other health professional to get any kind of care for yourself?
• In the past 12 months, has a doctor, nurse, or other health professional advised you to quit smoking?
• Which statement best describes the rules about smoking inside your home?
• Which of the following best describes your place of works' official smoking policy for indoor public or common areas, such as lobbies, rest rooms, and lunchrooms?
• Which of the following best describes your place of works' official smoking policy for work areas?
• Worksites prohibit smoking in both public and work areas

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Other Tobacco Products

• Have you ever used or tried any smokeless tobacco products such as chewing tobacco or snuff?
• Do you currently use chewing tobacco or snuff every day, some days, or not at all?
• Have you ever smoked a cigar, even one or two puffs?
• Do you now smoke cigars every day, some days, or not at all?
• Have you ever smoked tobacco in a pipe, even one or two puffs?
• Do you now smoke a pipe every day, some days, or not at all?
• A bidi is a flavored cigarette from India. Have you ever smoked a bidi, even one or two puffs?
• Do you now smoke bidis every day, some days, or not at all?
• Smokeless Tobacco Use Status

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Binge Drinking

• During the most recent occasion when you had 5 or more alcoholic beverages, about how many beers, including malt liquor, did you drink?
• During the same occasion, about how many glasses of wine, including wine coolers, hard lemonade, or hard cider, did you drink?
• During the same occasion, about how many drinks of liquor, including cocktails, did you have?
• During this most recent occasion, where were you when you did most of your drinking?
• During this most recent occasion, how did you get most of the alcohol?
• Did you drive a motor vehicle, such as a car, truck, or motorcycle during or within a couple of hours after this occasion?

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Risk Factors and Derived Responses

• Body Mass Index Grouping-Underweight, Recommended Range, Overweight and Obese
• Overweight or Obese
• Cholesterol check within last five years?
• Smoking Status
• Current Smoker
• Worksites prohibit smoking in both public and work areas
• Managing current weight: lose, maintain or do neither?
• Binge Drinking
• Heavy Drinking
• Moderate Physical Activity
• Vigorous Physical Activity
• Leisure Time Physical Activity
• Physical Activity Recommendation Status
• History of Any Cardiovascular Diseases (heart attack or coronary heart disease or stroke)
• Fruit and Vegetable Consumption per day
• Fruit (including fruit juice) Consumption per day
• Vegetable (including potato) Consumption per day
• Knew all heart attack symptoms
• Knew all stroke symptoms

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